Top Highlights

• It motivates us to do anything that stops the cortisol. Can eating a donut fix a career or romantic setback?
• Holding hands stimulates a small amount of oxytocin, but when repeated over time, as in the case of an elderly couple, it builds up a circuit that easily triggers social trust. Sex triggers a lot of oxytocin at once, yielding lots of social trust for a very short time.
• the pride of associating with a person of a certain stature.
• but when you receive the affection of a desirable individual, it triggers lots of serotonin, though you hate to admit it.
• and he starts triggering dopamine. Then he tastes the berry. Such intense sweetness and flavor are rare in the state of nature, so his neurochemicals tell him “Wow! This meets your needs. Get more of it!”